Chaos, lack of communication frustrates families of missing
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Family members have been searching for Ellen and Bob Pearson since they were last seen fleeing their mobile home in California wine country, preparing to leave in their purple Pontiac as flames lurked in the distance.
Five days later, no one has heard from the couple, both in their 70s. Loved ones are growing frustrated with the Sonoma County sheriff’s office, where phones lines are busy or out, and with other agencies that seem to have different databases of the missing.
“It’s been challenging trying to figure out which agency or which number to call,” said the couple’s granddaughter, Tiffany Couto. “People are trying to help so much, but it’s a chaotic time, and so it’s a challenge to understand exactly how to handle this.”
Tiffany’s sister Chrystal Couto and her husband Aaron Austin drove four hours Thursday from their Humboldt County home to join the search. They distributed flyers of the missing couple at several evacuation centres and plan to do the same Friday. The missing couple was seen leaving their house.